Senses
by fadedmystery
Summary: His senses are always on high alert whenever she's around..... *short multi-chaptered Dasey*
1. Sight

**A.N:** Many thanks to those who reviewed From the Other Side of the Lens! You guys rock, really. Anyway, here's a new story for all of you. I'm not sure if anyone's done this before, but here's my take on it anyway. This was supposed to be a one-shot, but it got so long that I decided to just split them up according to their respective senses, so yeah, this'll run for five chapters which I'll probably update every day, since it's done anyway. I'm posting Sight and Smell at the same time though, because they're pretty short , but the last 3 senses are lengthier. Soooo....as usual, you guys be the judge of this one. :)

**Senses**

_**::Sight::**_

She's wearing blue eye shadow again. It takes him only one look to see it, and a part of him is wondering why he spotted it so quickly. It's an odd combination, actually, blue eye shadow and pajamas, but then again, this _is_ Casey after all—since when has she never been odd?

"Space-Case," he says as he leaves his spot on the doorway to walk into her room. "Dinnertime."

"I'm not hungry," she replies, not looking at him, and her tone of voice is…something? Whatever it is, he's heard the tone before, and just now, he remembers that he doesn't like it very much.

"Come on," he says. "It's summer. There are only a few weeks left till we head for Queens. Don't you want to spend it 'bonding with your family' or some junk like that? Not that I really care what you do, but you know. The rest of them might."

"Besides," he adds conversationally, ignoring the fact that she still isn't looking at him. "They ordered take-out. So you can crush the possibility of food poisoning off your list. Unless Edwin got to your food first –now that just makes it a whole different story."

She looks up at him then, and he feels a kick in his stomach, and someone tell him where that came from again? Because she looks pathetic and heartbroken and her entire look just screams Post-Breakup Casey. Not just because of her expression, but also because she only wears that eye shadow paired with her house clothes when she's just broken up with someone. He'd first seen it when she'd broken up with Sam, and he's noticed that she's done it every time since then.

He doesn't even have to ask why—he already knows. She does it because it'll make her feel beautiful, so that she wouldn't feel so shitty about her break-up. Because _obviously_, it's always _her_ fault why her relationships end, so she wears her eye shadow to make her feel better about herself, her appearance. (He doesn't even understand where she could've gotten that idea from.)

(It makes him sick to know that independent, self-proclaimed feminist Casey allows her confidence level to sink so low because of a _guy_.)

He's always been able to see her. He can pick up the little things about her, partly for blackmail purposes and lately because he just _does. _After years of living with her, it's like second nature, like instinct to him (and yes, he realizes just how warped that whole thing sounds, no need to point it out to him.) And when looks at her, he doesn't see the perfect, prim and proper version of her; instead, he sees the strong but slightly insecure, definitely flawed Casey.

(Unless you threaten him with death, he won't ever admit it, but Casey being flawed just makes her all the more real. More humanbeautiful. Sort of like that line from a song: _"But I fell hard for your imperfections…"_ Not that he was falling, or anything. Or that he listened to girly chick music like that.)

"Truman and I broke up today," she suddenly says in a quiet sort of voice. "For good."

His fist unconsciously clenches, and he's idly wondering how much trouble he'd get into if he beat up the bastard. _If there were no witnesses, well…_

But he just gives her a look, and before he leaves her room, he tells her one thing: _"I know."_

(She really shouldn't look so surprised that he knows. After all, he can see and read her better than anyone else.)

* * *


	2. Smell

**Senses**

_**::Smell::**_

Derek knows that Casey's moved on the moment she walks down the stairs and he smells That Perfume, the one she wears whenever she goes out on a date. It's light and girly and very Casey-esque, and as she passes by him in the living room, he can't _not_ get a whiff of it.

And for a moment –just one moment—his mind goes blank.

(For the record, he _let _his mind go blank. It wasn't involuntary or anything. _Really_. Because he's lived with Casey for a few years now, so he's learned all too well that anything involuntary that involved Casey McDonald was dangerous. Very dangerous.)

_"Don't you ever want to live a little dangerously?"_

(His own words suddenly spring back into his mind, and in this moment, yep, he's pretty sure that the universe hated his guts.)

The moment they see her, the whole family tells her how pretty she looks (Keyword being: _Family_. As in, not including him. Because come on, since when have the both of them considered themselves to be _family_, anyway?) and he can see her smile widely out of the corner of his eye. She chats with Lizzie, and after a few minutes, Lizzie asks her sister if that perfume she's wearing is new.

_Of course it's not new_, he almost says out loud. _How could you not notice it? She's been wearing the same thing whenever she has a date, ever since she and Sam first started going out. _

It takes a split second for his brain to register that out of everyone, _he's_ the only one who noticed it. Appropriately, the thought freaks him out, because he doesn't want to think of what _that_ might mean, and he tells himself that the family's probably just forgetful. Because _of course_ they've noticed it before, they just forgot it. Because if they didn't, then…

No, he tells himself. There is no way he's going there; if there is ever anything that currently screams, "Unsafe Territory" to him, then this is it.

Her mom asks Casey where she's going again (And Derek wonders if being pregnant makes you forgetful) and she replies that she's going on a double blind date with Emily and two of Em's childhood friends who were in town. Nothing over the top, just a casual dinner, a movie, that's it.

"It's sort of a last date before we say goodbye to summer and start to get ready for college," she explains. "Besides, Truman and I are way over. It's time I stopped moping and started moving on."

He doesn't know what pisses him off more: That Casey beats herself up every time she gets heartbroken, or that she's willing to put herself through all that bullshit and do it all over again.

* * *

Wow, this was...short. Anyway, **_Hearing _**will be coming up shortly. Thanks so much for reading/reviewing guys! *sends virtual chocolate chip cookies to all* :)


	3. Hearing

**Senses**

_**::Hearing::**_

_Now probably isn't the best time to be pissing her off_, he thinks as he watches her pace the hospital floor frantically. After all, her mom's in labor, and she's probably worried as hell right now.

Then again. He's _Derek_. (And that alone means he _has_ to annoy her. It's like a given.)

"You know," he says casually, "Any more pacing like that, and the hospital's probably going to charge you for wearing out their floor."

Of course, it works like a charm. She rounds on him, expression a cross between murderous and crazy. (He vaguely wonders where the Psych ward of the hospital is. You know. Just in case.) "_De-rek_," she snaps (and there must really be something wrong with him, because a weird shiver goes down his spine when he hears her say his name like that), "I don't need this right now, okay? This really isn't the time."

The rest of the family isn't paying attention to them, so he takes the opportunity to get another quip out. Soon enough, they're arguing like always, and how come no one seems to notice them? It's an exchange of insults, and Casey looks like she'd very much like to throw something particularly heavy at him (It's a look she's perfected after all these years.)

"Derek, can't you be sensitive for once?" she exclaims, her face flushed (and damn it, why is she still beautiful when she's mad?) "In case you haven't noticed, this is _our sibling_ my mom is about to give birth to, so I'd appreciate it if you showed a little concern."

_Our_ sibling. Just like that, the arguing stops and they look at each other, like they've just realized that by the end of all this, they're going to share a sibling. A _family_ connection. His stomach twists unpleasantly, and for some reason, ithurtslikehell. They don't say a single word.

No. This is all wrong. He can't have quiet. _They_ can't have quiet. Since when have Casey and Derek ever been _quiet_? No, this…._silence..._isn't supposed to be here.(It roars in his ears. Because it's so _damn_ loud.)

_(_And he's suddenly reminded of_: "You are the most annoying brother---" "Step-brother" "Same difference."_ …... _"Yeah."_ Same long, ugly, unbearable silence. He now remembers one of the reasons why he hates that night.)

His mind suddenly scrambles for an insult, a comment, anything that'll get rid of this silence and get them to start fighting again. He can't explain it, but all of a sudden he _needs_ to argue with her, because arguing is _normal_ between them, and damn it, he needs whatever scrap of normal he can get before his entire life is turned upside-down by this kid everyone's waiting for.

(Derek wonders if it's possible to go to hell for hating someone who doesn't even exist yet. Then again, he's probably going to end up in hell anyway, so what does it matter?)

So he insults her. He also tips the coffee she's holding so it spills on her shoes, and god, it takes so little to rile her up. (Why do you think he enjoys pissing her off so much?)

_"De-rek!"_

The quiet shatters completely, and they're back. Ah. Now, that's better.

He doesn't annoy her because he wants to hear her say his name like that (He suddenly wonders how it'll sound while they're in bed, and he's on top of her. Yeah, definitely going to hell, alright.). He doesn't do it because he wants to feel that shiver go through him. Honest.

(Then again, he isn't the Lord of the Lies for nothing.)


	4. Taste

**Senses**

**::Taste::**

She tastes vaguely like strawberries.

There's a file in his mind that's called, _Things That'll Only Happen in an Alternate Universe,_ and kissing Casey? Yep, definitely falls under that category. Then again, his brain's been so screwed up these days, he's probably already in an alternate universe anyway, and using that piece of twisted logic, it means that kissing her is actually _okay_. (It's official. He's gone insane.)

Casey doesn't seem to have much of a problem of it, though, seeing as she's kissing him back (and he's beginning to think that maybe Fate doesn't hate him that much after all.)

He knows that this happening is probably the last thing the both of them expected to happen when they came home from Queens for the weekend. After all, they were there to visit, to see how everyone was doing, especially with baby Sophia, who, by the way, is pretty damn adorable—you can't _not_ love her.

But it was late, and everyone had gone to bed. He hadn't been able to sleep, so he'd gone downstairs for a glass of milk and found Casey watching some lame documentary on TV. Because he couldn't resist, he sat next to her and attempted to grab the remote, partly to change the channel, but mostly to annoy her.

In the middle of their power struggle for the remote, he suddenly stopped when he realized that his hands were over hers. Casey seemed to realize it too, judging by the way she just returned his look. One moment, they were looking at each other, and the next—wham bam, heated lip-lock.

(Just in case you're wondering—he's enjoying this. A lot. But at the same time, he can't seem to get his brain to function properly because she's just so soft and intoxicating and just… _Casey_, which basically means that she has the ability to drive him completely crazy.)

He feels almost light-headed when they break apart. Her cheeks are flushed and her breathing is labored, but her eyes are wide, in that I-Cant-Believe-We-Just-Did-That way. "Wha-what was that?" she finally manages to get out, and honestly, her expression is kind of funny.

"Well, I'm pretty sure that was a kiss," he replies in a 'duh' sort of voice, and he's proud to say that his voice seems (almost) normal.

"I know that," she snaps.

"Then why bother asking?"

"De-_rek_!" she snaps, but seeing as she's practically sitting on his lap, the words don't really have the usual heated effect in them. "I meant—what was that for? You—and I—and we--" (He's thinking that he should've kissed her a long time ago, since it manages to get her tongue-tied so easily.)

He grabs her by the shoulders and gives her a look before she can go on Freak-Out Casey Mode. "Casey," he says very patiently, which is a challenge because he really doesn't want to spend this time talking, when they could be doing something else, "Shut up for a minute and listen, okay? This is the way things are going to go. You won't freak out; you will be completely calm. Tomorrow, you won't ignore me, you won't pretend this never happened. We--"

"Wait," she interrupts him. She bites her bottom lip, which she always does when she's nervous, and he can't help but stare. Casey meets his gaze. "Why….why aren't you freaking out about this?"

(Oh, he knows he should be. The only thing is, right now, he's tired of running.)

"Because," he gives her a serious look. A second later it twists into a smirk. "Because I'm not _you_."

(He may be tired of running, but that doesn't mean he has to stop being him.)

"Derek, I'm serious," she says, and he can tell that she totally is, so he sobers up a bit. She even shuts her eyes and takes a deep breath before continuing. "Look…if you did that to mess with me, then you might as well tell me now."

_No running, Derek_. "I didn't do it to mess with you," he finally says after what seems an eternity (a few minutes actually, but all the drama he gets from Casey has to rub off somehow.)

"Then why…?"

"I think you know why," he says quickly before he can stop himself or chicken out. "Come on, Case, you graduated valedictorian. This isn't rocket science, anyone could figure it out. _You. Know. Why_."

He notices the corners of her mouth tip upwards, but her eyebrows are still knitted together. That, and the fact that she's still practically on his lap (not that he's complaining), actually makes for a pretty funny picture. "Listen, Derek---"

"Why'd you kiss me back?" he asks before she can finish talking, and by the surprised look on her face, it's obvious she hadn't expected the question. But he's been on the not-so-fun side of the interrogation too long for his liking, so he figures some equal ground is called for here. Besides, now that he's decided to quit running, words are spewing out of his mouth, and he's sure (pretends) that he doesn't have any control over them anymore.

"Wh-what?" she actually gulps and her cheeks flush. "Um, well, you see…that's completely—what I mean to say is---I think you know why," she says, throwing his words back at him. "Come on, Derek, you…well, you were able to _graduate_. That at least proves something about your brain. _You. Know. Why._"

He feels his heart (there's no use pretending he doesn't have one, because how can he, when it's beating so fast and so loudly?) doing something strange, almost like back-flips, but it's actually pleasant. It's insane and weird and never did he think it would happen, but miraculously, this time, nothing is one-sided between them. They're actually on the same page for once, and he won't say it out loud, but it's a pretty damn good feeling.

He knows though, that he could make her say it. Say those three little words. But he also knows that if he forces her, she'll force him to say it back (because they might be on the same page and everything, but they're still Derek and Casey, which means that they always need to even out the score.) And he's not so sure if he's ready to say it out loud just yet –especially since he isn't even quite sure what 'it' is--, and by the looks of it, neither is she, so he takes what he can get for now.

He's tired of all this talking, and her lips are suddenly looking very inviting again. So he tugs her closer to him, and she lets herself move closer. A moment later though, she pulls back a bit, and one look is all it takes for him to know she's in Freak-Out-Casey mode again. "Oh my god, what are we doing? We are way in over our heads with this. What about—what about our family? We're going to drive them nuts. Can you imagine how much they'd have to pay to put Sophia in therapy because of us? And, what about---"

"Casey." You give her a look, and she thankfully shuts up. "Enough, okay? Quiet. Stop thinking. Start Feeling." (and it doesn't even enter his head until a few seconds later how hypocritical he must sound like, being Mr. I-Have-No-Feelings and all, but whatever.)

A moment later, he tilts his head. "Okay, so that sounded kind of lame. But pay attention, because I'm only going to say this once. After this, I'm going to kiss you again. And you won't over-analyze, you won't freak-out. You'll just…let everything go. Any questions?"

She looks pretty dazed by his speech, but has enough brainpower to shake her head. "Good," he grins, leaning closer and thinking, _Thank God._

A second later, and Derek has a new nickname for the younger brother he's going to strangle tomorrow: Mood Killer.

The moment they hear and see a half-asleep Edwin going down the stairs, they immediately jump apart. Edwin doesn't glance at them, doesn't even look like he notices that there's someone there. He just walks past them and into the kitchen, and a few minutes later, goes back up the stairs with a glass of water.

There's silence in his wake, and Derek's pretty sure that what's happening right now could win Awkward Moment of the Year, hands down.

"So, um," Casey clears her throat as she gets off the couch. Her cheeks are pink, and it looks like she's trying not to look at him (and failing.) "I should, uh, get to bed. You know, to get some sleep, because it's nighttime and beds are made for sleeping, and…uh…"

It's on the tip of his tongue to make a joke about how sleeping isn't the only thing a bed is good for, but she really does look frazzled, so he lets it go for now. (And besides, the thought suddenly fills his mind with images of him and Casey doing stuff on a bed that could only be described as NC-17, and his throat suddenly feels so dry that he can't speak, even if he wanted to.)

"Well, uh, goodnight then, I suppose," she adds, her cheeks tinted pink, and he's sure that his non-fantasies were never nearly as awkward as this. She gives him a small smile and turns to leave, but before she can climb the stairs, he calls her name.

She gives him a questioning look, and he quickly says before nerves get the better of him, (The only things that can make him lose his nerve is hockey, and more recently, _her_. Because yeah, in case you haven't noticed yet, the Universe has it in for him) "Tomorrow night. Smelly Nellie's."

The look on her face changes into something he can't quite place (it vaguely resembles something called 'joy'). Still, her eyebrow arches. "How romantic," she says, her tone wry, but that smile on her face gives it all away. "Are you paying for everything?"

"I was thinking of doing that," he replies with a shrug. "But then I realized that a modern young woman like you wouldn't mind sharing the bill. After all, knights in shining armors are so overrated, right?"

She rolls her eyes, but her grin just becomes wider. "Goodnight, Derek," she says, her cheeks an even darker shade of pink, like how she gets when she's just done something completely out-of-character but fun. The next thing he knows, she's already up the stairs. He's left alone with the silence, and the memory of what just happened earlier –which, by the way, he's still trying to make complete sense of--, and all of a sudden, he starts to smile.

(He sleeps better than he has in months and strawberries become his favorite fruit.)


	5. Touch

A.N: Oh dear....I thoroughly apologize if I may have made either of them (Derek especially) a little, even the slightest bit out of character...especially in the end. *dodges pitchforks* It's kind of hard to write something fluffy with people like Derek and Casey, with the snark and insults and all, so I hope you guys like this anyway. This is the end of Senses, thanks so much for reading and reviewing! :)

* * *

**Senses**

**::Touch/Feeling::**

The main difference between not dating Casey and dating Casey is that now, neither of them really minds if the other holds his or her hand.

Don't get him wrong: they still fight. A lot. Just a few days ago, Casey stormed into his residence, demanding to speak to the insensitive jerk that sent her a rather…_colorful _voice mail in the middle of class. He'd tried explaining that it was her fault anyway for not putting her phone on silent, but she just wouldn't listen. (He doesn't mind the arguing though, because now, they usually end up in…_ehem_, fun.) But for all the similarities, there are definitely new things added into the equation, and this Breaking-His-PDA-Rule-By-Holding-Hands thing is one of them.

Like most things, the hand-holding think is Casey's (fault) idea. The first time he noticed it was before a hockey game. He'd been calm and collected (guess what? Today's opposite day, in case you didn't know), and he'd been trying to will away whatever –nonexistent, he swears—nerves he had. She'd been uncharacteristically quiet the whole time, but just before coach had called them back to the locker room, she slipped her hand in his, gave it a squeeze, and said, "Breathe."

(He scored the winning goal, by the way.)

He's firmly convinced that Casey's idea of couple-y behavior must have rubbed off on him (slightly. Sort-of. Definitely.) After all, it's the only logical (ha, like anything about them two is ever logical) explanation for him doing the same thing. The first time it happened, they'd been eating at the cafeteria with Casey's roommate and her boyfriend, when he noticed some guy walking towards their table. It didn't take a genius to see that he was eyeing Casey. And Derek didn't even think about it; he just grasped her hand on top of the table and, ignoring Casey's surprised look, he raised an eyebrow and said, "Was there something you wanted with my girlfriend, Robinson?" Needless to say, it didn't even take the guy more than a few seconds to leave.

He –almost- began to regret his action when, for the rest of the day, Casey kept looking at him with That Look, that one she gets when she realizes he's being sweet. But he wasn't. Being sweet, I mean. Derek Venturi doesn't do 'sweet'. (He also doesn't do jealousy, but apparently, he doesn't know as much about himself as he used to, something he—as usual—blames Casey for.)

(He didn't let go even after Robinson left. That's probably the reason why his hand felt slightly numb afterwards. And it's also probably the reason why his lips tingled and his head got all foggy, courtesy of the long kiss she'd given him afterward.)

Days later, it slips through the cracks in their routine. He notices it only after a few days, while they're walking around campus. It doesn't bother him, much to his surprise. So he doesn't let go.

(He might as well be wearing a nametag saying, 'Hi, my name is Whipped'.)

Anyway, that pushing-him-on-the-bed thing she used to do in high school? Must've been foreshadowing, he thinks dazedly as he's kissing her. She'd stormed into his dorm room again to declare 'yet another grievance she had towards him' (Her words, not his. And besides, how was he to know that Casey wouldn't appreciate him leaving her roommate a _thanks for last night_ message for her?) They'd argued, she'd pushed him on the bed, and in a few seconds flat, he'd pulled her on top of him and kissed her. So here they are now, making out on his bed, which he doesn't mind in the slightest.

Except….

"You're thinking," he mutters against her lips. Pulling away from him, she rolls her eyes.

"Of course I am. That's what normal people do, Derek. They think. Not that I'd expect you to understand, but…"

"Haha," he replies dryly. "No wonder your relationships don't last long. Klutziness plus bitchiness? Classic recipe for Splitsville."

"Then what are you still doing here?" she asks him with a raised eyebrow.

"Eh," he shrugs. "You make good chocolate chip pancakes." Because really, that's the reason. Not because hedoesntwanttolethergo, but because of the pancakes. _Really._

She slaps his arm, and then blinks. "Coming from you," she says slowly. "That's…I don't know if it's a compliment or an insult."

"Definitely insult. Compliments are so overrated. Unless they're directed to me, then that's a whole different story…" He allows himself a small smirk at her eye-roll. "What are you thinking about?" he asks as he lowers his lips to her neck.

She sighs, and he can practically feel her smile, but all she says is, "Never mind. It's nothing. It doesn't matter."

Who is she kidding? Of course it isn't just nothing, this is _Casey_, for crying out loud. Nothing is ever nothing with her, and from the way he can feel her body tense up slightly, he knows that 'nothing' really is 'something.'

So he (grudgingly) stops kissing her and looks up. "Just say it. I know you want to, so you might as well go ahead."

Casey bites her lip (and he swears by his hockey trophies and his Special Smarti Smugs that the word 'adorable' doesn't come to mind.) "I'm nervous about coming home for Christmas," she finally says with a sigh. "There, I said it. Happy now?"

"Nervous, huh? I'm not surprised. I mean, dad might actually attempt to cook this year. That should make anyone worry."

"_De-rek_," she snaps with a shake of her head. "You know what I mean. How do you think they'll react to…this?" she gestures between them. "I mean, we didn't tell them before we left last time. We can't keep this a secret, and obviously we need to tell them, but I'm just…I'm worried, okay? What do you think they're going to say? How will they take it? Will they be cool about it, or be mad or go ballistic? Most likely they're going to be mad at us, and we—and they—oh god, I knew it, they're going to have to put Sophia in therapy because of us," she groans, placing her head in her hands.

He tries really, _really_ hard not to laugh (and fails, so why does he even bother?). She glares at him. "I'm serious, Derek. I want this thing between us to work. But not at the expense of losing my family. I don't think I'd be able to handle it right now, so early in this relationship."

It sounds dramatic and typical Casey, but the words actually get to him (much more than they should, so he knows something is wrong), and they sit in silence for awhile. "You're really worried about what they're going to say?" he finally says.

"Yeah," she replies softly, frowning up at him. "Aren't you?"

And this is the part where he's sure some alien life form has taken over his body: Derek returns her look and slowly nods. "Maybe….yeah."

Really, she should bring a camera with her, to document these extremely rare Him-Showing-His-Feelings moments (maybe she could sell them to National Geographic or something? It could be called 'Awesome Man-Species in his Rare Moments of True Expression,' or something like that, he's not feeling too creative at the moment). Judging from her expression, (which he can't really place, because it looks like a mix between surprise and something else, which frustrates the hell out of him because he's always been able to read her) she was not expecting that from him.

But he _is_ worried. In a way. Slightly. A little bit. (He's actually pretty fucking terrified, but no one really needs to know that.) Because for all the craziness and general insanity his blended family causes on a day-to-day basis, he actually does care about them. Which is why he's driven himself crazy thinking about how this whole thing was going to affect his family. Give him some credit here, people: He isn't completely insensitive.

"Especially considering the fact that some of my intentions aren't exactly…uh, in the realm of PG-13," he adds. "Now that's a conversation I never want to have with them."

"_Derek_." She chokes back a laugh and shakes her head. It surprises him when she suddenly leans her head on his shoulder, because it's a very Casey-thing to do, but he's still getting used to the idea that she's doing it with him. She slips her hand in his, and really, it's lame and cliché and something that looks like it came out of Casey's romance novels, but he can't ignore the sudden thrill that goes through him at that one gesture. Because her hand is warm and –dare he say it—comforting, and in a way, it does so much more for him than anything else.

It kind of scares the crap out of him to realize how a single gesture can make him feel this much.

"We'll be okay, right?" she murmurs. "I mean, we'll still want to kill each other on a daily basis, but..." And she doesn't even need to finish her sentence, because he knows exactly what she's saying.

He's sorely tempted to make a joke, come up with a witty reply that'll allow him to avoid answering the question. But –and he swears this is the alien life form in him speaking- over the past weeks, months, he's come to realize that there's something kind of freeing in admitting things, and he's beginning (slowly) to think that there might be something to this whole 'showing feelings in a real but non-sappy way' thing.

So he holds her hand a little tighter (he wonders if she gets the message) and finally says, "We'll be screaming and pranking and making out and annoying each other—in other words…yeah, we'll be okay." She smiles at that, her hand warm in his, and despite everything he's taught himself, he feels his heart, thumping and loud and so very _alive_, hammering against his chest.

He _feels_, and, just between you and him (and he promises to hunt down anyone who lets it slip to someone else) --- It's times like these when he's pretty sure he's in love with her (Maybe. Sort-of. Slightly…

…definitely.)


End file.
